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Sandhurst Parade

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Crow

I was looking at pictures of Sandhurst and I was wondering why they don't pass out with swords? I mean most officers on other parades (formal) will carry their swords so why not allow them to have them for their passing out parade at Sandhurst?

LE

GCM

Don't worry, it'll doubtless come around again. In my day, we, the real Officer Cadets, passed off with SLRs and the filthy grad tarts ponced on with swords - none of them could hold them properly and frankly they looked like so many shiny quilled porcupines on the march. I think since those heady days it has been tried with everyone clutching swords and nowadays it's back to rifles again. The WRAC waddled on with nothing - they, due to the size of pace a woman took in those days, weren't allowed to march with us.

LE

GCM

Has the factory stopped commissioning OCdts with swords now? We paraded with SA80s in inters and swords on commissioning, which I think is the best way (I would say that). It meant you understood what your soldiers would do and knew your own sword drill. Do YO's courses now incorporate sword drill or do parades at regiment just look abysmal?

LE

In 1974 we were getting new colours; I was on guard early one morning when the junior officers were doing sword drill with the RSM. I was quite shocked that he was giving them such a hard time, much worse than I had ever see us mere mortals get.

LE

I was looking at pictures of Sandhurst and I was wondering why they don't pass out with swords? I mean most officers on other parades (formal) will carry their swords so why not allow them to have them for their passing out parade at Sandhurst?

The other reason is its a way of giving recognition to the outstanding cadets are the form the cadet officers for the parade us mere mortals formed the rank and file so parade with bangsticks and pig stickers... though I note the recent years seem to be passing out carrying something 'orrid - mind you we had to hold back the evil red hordes so we needed a proper gat.

Old-Salt

It's all terribly simple - see Queensman above. Until you pass off you are an OR and therefore carry a rifle. JUOs wafted a blade. Now in my day, WRAC had their own place so didn't waddle anywhere. If you stayed for RCC (and were therefore commissioned) you paraded with a sword and boy did it look untidy - much raised blood pressure in the Household Division chappies.

LE

I was looking at pictures of Sandhurst and I was wondering why they don't pass out with swords? I mean most officers on other parades (formal) will carry their swords so why not allow them to have them for their passing out parade at Sandhurst?

At the risk of being sensible:In my day, there was a heirarchy among cadets in the third term that mirrored Inf Bns, so that each Pl had a Junior Under Officer (Carried a Sword as a virtual Pl Comd); Cadet Sgts (Sash); Cadet Cpls (nothing for parades) and so on. Larger intakes had Senior Under Officers who also carried swords on parade - I believe they may have been virtual Company Commanders.

LE

At the risk of being sensible:In my day, there was a heirarchy among cadets in the third term that mirrored Inf Bns, so that each Pl had a Junior Under Officer (Carried a Sword as a virtual Pl Comd); Cadet Sgts (Sash); Cadet Cpls (nothing for parades) and so on. Larger intakes had Senior Under Officers who also carried swords on parade - I believe they may have been virtual Company Commanders.

Spot on. It was my course (cc081) that was a bag of ****. We had watched with envy for two terms as the seniors pranced around with sword whilst us minions carried SA80s, looking forward to the day of carrying swords and not having to ''strike the rifle - [insert some comment about the AcSM wanting to see our blood coming through our mime artist gloves]'' .

We spent ages learning sword drill, only to have the right to laugh at the inters, shaking and having uncontrolled muscle spasms holding their gats, snatched away at the very last minute. It was a long time ago but I think it was post final ex; could be wrong on that one. It was after Maj Gen RJ watched one of the practices and wasn't happy with the weird and wonderful angles that some (probably myself included) were carrying the sword at. TBH it was only a small downer, having done 42 weeks, we could have been told that we had to knees to chest the entire parade naked and still done it. The novelty of sandatraz had well worn off by then.

5 years down the line I have never wielded a sword bar the tunnel saluty thing at weddings and as far as I am aware my capbadge (REME) do not teach it to newly minted 2Lts on the heinous and tortuous MSEC(L) course.

There was rather a fun thread a few years ago "Curse of the sword", or where did the Prize guys all go, and not a lot went to the top!
My JUO on SMC 14 left as a Captain after doing an in service degree, an SUO on SMC 13 got court martialed as a Lt (not clever!) and the sword winer on SMC 11 runs wars for people as head of Aegis, old friend of Mrs Ts son!

MIA

Long time ago (CC981) but we spend bloody ages practicing sword drill. Intermediate and Senior Terms from memory. And its not like they cost owt. The very blunt ones we drew from stores had a VR or E VII R. So its not like they spend a lot of money keeping their swords on the Cutting edge - pun intended.